1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the general field of methods and apparatus for non-surgical removal of animal tails, horns, testicles, and the like. It is further directed to the foregoing mentioned field wherein a resilient ring of rubber, or the like, is formed, having is very small opening but being expandable to slip over the portion of the animal to be non-surgically removed and then released onto such member so as to completely cut-off the flow of blood from the main portion of the animal to the member, at the same time pulling the skin adjacent the animal into a configuration such that the skin covers the area from which the member was removed. The invention is even further directed to the non-surgical removal of tails from swine by expanding the ring in a unique triangular configuration by utilization of a unique ring expanding tool and applying the ring around the tail of the swine and removing the ring from the expanding tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known for a long time that it is possible to non-surgically remove tails from dogs, horns from calves, testicles from various animals, and the like, by totally shutting off the circulation of blood from the animal to the appendage being, or to be, removed. The well known Minock products manufactured in Denver, Colo. are exemplary of the type of ring (normally latex) used for this purpose. There have been various devices constructed for expanding the latex rings. All of such devices utilize a number of protrusions about an expandable mechanism. The ring is placed over the protrusions, expanded so as to be able to be slipped over the animal appendage being removed, and then released onto the appendage. All of such expanders utilize a plurality of ring expanding protrusions ranging from four or more in number. Such expanders are costly and cumbersome. Additionally, they do not form an elongated opening suitable to accommodate a thin appendage having a substantial width.
All of the expanders heretofore known further have the difficulty that with a number of protrusions it is not possible to effectively place a rubber ring with an extremely small hole upon the large number of protrusions. Further, it is frequently difficult to remove the ring from the apparatus of the prior art, especially with the use of one hand.
The present invention is unique in that it provides for the expansion of a ring with a very small inner diameter which can be slipped over the tails of swine for purpose of removing the tail, and especially the expander used in the method of this invention now, for the first time, utilizes three members only for the purpose of insertion within the ring and provides a triangular opening which is particularly adaptable to use in connection with some odd configurations frequently encountered in the animal members, particularly the tails of swine, being removed. The method and the apparatus of this particular invention become a unique and valuable advance in this art and make certain procedures heretofore impossible, possible. In this respect, it is unique and without prior art.